10 Reasons Why Good Soup Is Every College Kid's Best Friend

Living in a dorm, it can be a little tricky to find meals that are easy to make and actually taste alright. But fear not, because I've found the answer to this problem: soup.

1. It's warm.

Especially around this time of year, warm foods are a must. And soup is not only warm, it makes you feel warm on the inside.

2. It's filling.

Sometimes it takes a lot of food from the dining hall to fill me up, but one bowl of soup does the job super quick. And it's not an uncomfortable, bloated kind of full, either. Just a completely satisfactory one.

3. It's easy to make.

Seriously I can't think of anything easier to make than soup. In most cases you just put it in a bowl or mug and microwave it until it's hot and ready to eat. It's literally the EASIEST preparation!

4. It's easy to store.

Soup, for the most part, comes in cans. Not all college students have fridges to store things in, but most soup doesn't have to be refrigerated, so no problem!

5. It doesn't create a lot of unnecessary dishes.

Sometimes cooking can seem like a hassle because of all of the dishes you have to do afterwards, but like I said with the easy preparation, soup also leaves little to no cleanup.

6. There's so many different kinds.

You can't ever really get bored of soup, because there's so many different kinds to choose from! You could get a different soup every day for at least a week!

7. It's super cheap!

Some brands of soup sell cans for less than a dollar each, which makes it a really cheap meal for the person on the college kid budget.

8. You're never not in the mood for soup.

Seriously, soup is always the answer.

9. And if you seriously aren't, you forget that the second it hits your tongue

7 Ways I Lost 30 Pounds WITHOUT Going To The Gym

A lot of people have been complimenting me lately on my weight loss. But the compliment is usually followed up by a question of, how'd you do it? So, here is my answer.

1. I got my heart broken

The totally honest truth is that I went through the worst breakup I've ever experienced. I weighed 160 pounds when it happened, and I only stand five foot three inches, which means I was technically overweight.

I've definitely heard of girls experiencing weight loss immediately following breakups, but it had never happened to me until this time around. It was probably a combination of crying, stress and having to adjust my entire life. It takes a toll on your mind and body.

2. Stress in general

The breakup definitely wasn't the only stressor in my life. I was also stressed about school, money, work, family and more. I was a full-time college student and part-time waitress, trying to make ends meet in a state 800 miles away from my friends and family.

Do I recommend this course of action in particular? No. But it's the situation I put myself in, and the overall stress of life I think contributed to my weight loss.

I am not advocating any of this as healthy. I am simply aware of the major effects stress can have on the body, especially when not managed well (stress management post coming soon, y'all).

3. Drinking LOTS of water

One healthy thing I have done that has helped me lose weight is drinking a ton of water. I bought two 32-ounce Contigo Addison water bottles from Wal-Mart, and I fill it with ice and water every morning and try to drink at least two entire bottles every day. Some days I accomplish this, and some days I don't. Making the conscious effort to drink more water has not only helped me lose weight but helped me feel more healthy and even made my skin clear up.

4. Cutting soda out of my diet

While I was never a frequent soda drinker, I didn't hesitate to sometimes indulge in a Fanta orange soda or glass of sugary juice. Now, I limit my non-water drink on a daily basis to one, sometimes two, cups of hot coffee in the morning. The rest of the day, I drink water only. I will make an exception though, for a glass of ginger ale if I have a stomachache or the occasional glass of wine after work. Other than that, I stay a strictly water girl!

5. Being more conscious of what I eat

I applied the same process of choosing to cut virtually all non-water fluids out of my life to my eating habits as well. Now, not saying I don't indulge in my restaurant's delicious fried chicken, or a little ice cream at the end of a rough shift, but, I have definitely made more conscious decisions about what I put in my body. In a typical day, I will have a cup of coffee and a Nature Valley peanut granola bar for breakfast, a salad with grilled chicken or a sandwich with turkey, lettuce and tomato for lunch and usually a piece of chicken for dinner.

I have steered away from buying snacks like chips at the grocery store and aim for healthier foods like fresh fruits and vegetables.

6. Cutting down on portion sizes

When I was at my heaviest, I could eat an entire half pound of pasta by myself. Now, the thought makes me sick. I started cutting down on my portion sizes at first to three-quarters of what I was used to eating.

Once my stomach got used to that portion size, I cut down to almost half of what I was originally eating. Over time, my stomach got accustomed to smaller portion sizes and now I get fuller faster. This is a good way for me to cut down on calorie intake.

7. Getting those steps in

While I have never gone out of my way to exercise — despite knowing that it's good for me — I do waitress for a living, which involves walking and being on my feet anywhere from four to 14 hours a day. I don't wear a pedometer, but I definitely should because I can't even imagine the number of steps I put in during a long shift.

While it is not exercising in the traditional sense like running on a treadmill or lifting weights, it was a way for me to walk off the pounds without ever stepping foot in a gym! I've never been a fan of the gym. If you are, props to you!

4 Healthy Breakfast Ideas You Can Make In Minutes

You can't pass up a mouth-watering breakfast that STILL gives you time to hit the snooze button. And you don't have to with these 4 recipes that can be made in 8 minutes or less!

1. A Green Smoothie

For a refreshing, five-minute breakfast on the go, opt for a smoothie. Green smoothies are a great way to get your veggies in, without all the hassle of cooking them. I prefer spinach because it goes well with almost any flavor and can create a not too sweet smoothie. But if you're trying to kick your sweet tooth, adding cacao powder or vanilla protein can be a great way to achieve a sweeter smoothie, that still goes well with spinach!

My go-to smoothie recipe below:

1 small banana or half a large one

1 tablespoon peanut or almond butter

1 handful of ice

2 handfuls of spinach or mixed greens

1/2 cup almond milk (depending on your preferred consistency)

Optional: Add peanut butter granola or oats for a thicker, and more filling smoothie

Add everything & blend!

2. Oatmeal

I know oatmeal is usually thought of as bland or tasteless, but it all depends on how you make it! One of the best things about oatmeal is that it's easy to achieve any flavor with various toppings. With these recipes, oatmeal will become your favorite 2-minute meal- that you'll feel good about eating!

Recipe 1:

1/2 cup of original oats

2 tsp of cinnamon

1 tbs of chia seeds

1 banana

1 tbs peanut butter

Stir in the cinnamon and chia seeds to your oats and cook according to the directions. After cooking the oats, cut up 1 banana and add to the bowl with 1 tbs peanut butter.

Recipe 2:

1/2 cup of original oats

3 strawberries

1 tbs chia seeds

1 handful of blueberries

2 tsp honey

Stir in chia seeds and cook the oats according to the package directions. Add in chopped strawberries and blueberries. Drizzle with honey to finish!

3. Peach and Quinoa Yogurt Parfait

If you're looking for a lighter, sweet and filling breakfast try this peach and quinoa parfait! This recipe from Self Magazine is sure to give you energy for the day and satisfy your sweet tooth. Try cooking the quinoa the night before to turn this into a 5 minute meal.

4. Taco Egg Cups

This non-traditional take on breakfast tacos is savory, portable and delicious! I would definitely recommend making this recipe ahead of time and freezing or refrigerating them, so all you have to do in the morning is heat and go! Self Magazine explains this simple recipe, requiring few ingredients.

Enjoy your extra sleep in the mornings with these 4 mouth-watering breakfast ideas that you can make in minutes AND feel good about eating. Your days of skipping breakfast and feeling sluggish until lunch are over.